NEWSHOMEOPINIONLOCAL INTERESTRECENT ISSUESLETTERSCLASSIFIEDSLINKS |
Methow Valley News August 19, 1999 Endangered Species Coverage County fears fish funds will be lost by Lee Hicks It’s a catch-22 dilemma for Okanogan County. The county may be losing the opportunity for state funding for fish recovery projects because of permit delays by federal agencies. The concerns were revealed in a letter to National Marine Fisheries Service state director Bob Turner from Dennis Beich, the county’s water resources chief. Beich wrote that the county has gained funding for five projects through the 1998 Federal Salmon Recovery fund, and has received notification of six more projects for 1999 "early action funding" by state Fish and Wildlife. However, Beich wrote Turner, two additional projects were turned down by the state because permits were not provided by NMFS, "in a timely manner." Another four projects with combined state and federal funds will not be completed this fall because, "it has become apparent that the federal permitting process will take too long and delay the construction of the projects beyond the ‘fish construction window’ for the particular stream." Biologists say work such as screen installation and replacement and other improvements must not conflict with fish spawning and migration cycles. Beich wrote that the projects have received federal, state and tribal support as "high priority" for salmon recovery. He said the county wants to streamline the permitting process, and suggested a conference with NMFS, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, the Forest Service, state Fish and Wildlife and the governor’s office to, "resolve this situation." Turner’s office said he was on leave until Aug. 23 and not available for immediate comment to the Aug. 11 letter. The county and state Fish and Wildlife have announced funding for projects valued at nearly $1 million. Several projects must receive "biological opinions" from NMFS, which has listed spring-run Chinook salmon and steelhead trout as endangered, or USFWS, which listed bull trout as threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act. The state Department of Fish and Wildlife is responsible for overseeing screen installations and other improvements. Opinion | Sports |
Local Interest |